Have you ever dreamed of living in Egypt — not just seeing the pyramids or cruising the Nile, but truly living here for a while?  Wandering the markets, hearing the call to prayer echo across the rooftops, learning how things work from the inside?

It’s a beautiful idea. But for many, it’s also a bit scary.   Here’s what my grandson has to say about Egyptian people 🙂

Over the past year, I’ve seen a pattern among the stories I’ve read — from retirees, digital nomads, slow travelers — people ready to break free from routine and seek something deeper. A slower rhythm of life. A more affordable way of living. But again and again, the same hurdle comes up: fear.

“I want to try a new country, but I don’t know where to start.”
“What if I can’t handle the culture shock?”
“What if something goes wrong and I’m all alone?”

I understand. I’ve been living between Ireland and Egypt for over 20 years, and I remember exactly how overwhelming it felt in the beginning. And truth be told, the older we get, the more daunting change can seem.

That’s why I’m offering something different for 2025.

A Soft Landing in Egypt for Slow Travelers & Nomads

From September to December 2025, Mara House in Luxor will open its doors for a new kind of stay — designed not for tourists passing through, but for those who want to linger, explore, and truly settle in for a while.

This is for slow travelers.  First-time nomads.  Retirees ready for adventure.  Anyone searching for meaning, stillness, or a deeper connection to life.

This isn’t a hotel stay.  It’s something more personal.  A new experiment — and I’m genuinely excited about it.

Long-Term Stays in Luxor – What You’ll Get

  • A fully furnished apartment-sized suite (bedroom, living room, kitchenette, bathroom)

  • A calm, friendly home base in a typical, ordinary, Egyptian neighborhood

  • Shared spaces: rooftop terrace, dining room, lounge/bar

  • The freedom to be as social or as solitary as you like

  • Personal support from me and my right-hand man, Amr

  • Help with daily logistics: local shopping, SIM cards, transport, cultural dos and don’ts

  • Honest guidance on how Egypt really works

  • Outings to sacred and historical sites (including relaxed group trips to Cairo and Aswan if numbers allow)

  • Support navigating red tape, surprises, and those small but vital “how do I…?” moments

Egypt, slowly and simply

The Egypt we’ll show you isn’t the one in the guidebooks.  It’s the Egypt where beauty hides behind crumbling doorways.  It’s the Egypt of long conversations, shared meals, relaxation with kindred spirits, and unexpected moments of awe.

There are hundreds of places in Cairo where tourists on a flying visit never get to experience – the markets where Egyptians buy everything from a spoon to a suite of furniture, the workshops where the mother-of-pearl furniture is made, the place where EVERYING reusable, including valuable antiques, are stacked high in orderly piles waiting for the clever eye to find them, the camel market, the potter and decorative gypsum building decorations are made, the gemstone market, the back alleys where all the little treasures for handcrafts await, the street of the tentmakers where there are warehouses of handmade decorative kayameya is piled high, the warehouses of rescued and restyled old antique treasures rescued from demolished medieval buildings lie waiting for the discerning eye (with lots of cash!) are filled to capacity.

I am not suggesting a nomad would want to buy any of this since lugging lots of stuff around the world is not practical, but just visiting these places is an unmissable experience.  These are the places I can take you to – simply because we would be on a long and leisurely journey of exploration.  I can’t even complete the list of possibilities that await and the mere thought of it excites me.  I haven’t been on such a trip since I first went with Stephen and Sara about 16 years ago when they came to rescue Mara House from my attempts to furnish it with the limited items available in Luxor.  That was a most wonderful trip where they educated my eye and my mind to what would stand the tests of time – without that trip to Cairo with them, Mara House would not be furnished as it is today!  My dream is to one day go back with Steve and Sara – this time with a LOT of cash to bring more treasures to Mara House.

Creative, Cultural & Personal Freedom in Luxor

Want to write? Paint? Learn to cook Egyptian food?  Dive into jewellery-making or handcrafts?  Or just rest, read, and reflect?

You’ll have the time and space for it here.

You can cook for yourself, or let us feed you (Amr’s cooking is legendary!).  You’ll find companionship when you want it, and solitude when you need it.

Join us in 2025?

I’m planning this soft-landing project for the first time for dates in September through December 2025 — two – to three-month stays, at very affordable rates, for those ready to step into something new.  There may be overlapping groups as people come and go.  Whether I continue to offer this will greatly depend on whether enough nomads come with this first time.  So, if any of this appeals to you, take the chance, trust me, email me and lets plan a unique experience.  The average price for your own suite is a mere €400 per month.

For this to become a reality, I’ll need confirmed bookings within the next few weeks — as tourist bookings increase, the availability for long-stays will shrink. I’d really love to make this work for Autumn/Winter 2025, and share, show, and enjoy Egypt with a new group of friends — for longer than usual.

I’ll be here — email me now: maraegypt@gmail.com

For a broader view on how to structure your time in Egypt and what kind of trip might suit you best, start with my complete travel guide.